118^ l;<suecl November 19, I90j. 

U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 

3 OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS— BULLETIN 220. 

C rSr yf A. C. TRUE, Director. 

SECONDARY AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION 
IN ALABAilA. 



BY 



C. J. OWENS, 

President of the Southeast Alabama Agricultural School, Abbeville. 




WASHINGTON: 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. 
1909. 




Class. 
Book. 






Issued November 19, 190y. 

U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. . 

OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS— BULLETIN 220. 

A. C. TRUK, Director. 



SECONDARY AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION 

IN ALABAMA. ^^u 



BY 



C. J. OWENS, 

President of the Southeast Alabama Agricultural School, Abbeville. 




WASHINGTON: 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. 



1909. 



riT^\ 



V 






HOV 23, 1^^^ 



?^ 



LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. 



U. S. Department of Agriculture, 

Office of Experiment" Stations, 

Washington, D. C, June 15, 1909. 
Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith a report by President 
C. J. Owens, of the Southeast Ahibama Agricultural School, on the 
Congressional district secondary agricultural schools of that State. 
This re})ort was prepared under the direction of D. J. Crosby, of this 
Office, and deals with the history, legislation, organization, and 
equipment of these nine schools, with an estimate of their influence 
on the agricultural and educational work of the State. In view of 
the great interest now obtaining in the subject of secondary agricul- 
tural schools and the desire of school officers and others for concrete 
information as to methods of organizing, courses of study, needed 
eciuipment, and cost of such schools, I recommend the publication 
of this report as Bulletin 220 of this Office. 

Respectfully, A. C. True, 

Director. 
Hon. James Wilson^ 

Secretary of Agriculture. 

[BulL 220] (3) 



CONTENTS 



Page. 

Introduction 7 

Legislation 7 

Educational awakening 10 

Organization of the district agricultural schools 11 

Boards of control 12 

Course of study 12 

Agricultural-scientific course 12 

Agricultural-classical course 14 

Other points in common 15 

Equipment and work of the individual schools 15 

First District 15 

Second District 16 

Third District '. 16 

Fourth District 18 

Fifth District 19 

Sixth District 20 

Seventh District 21 

Eighth District 22 

Ninth District 23 

Association of Presidents and Agriculturists 24 

Rejiort of committee on experiments at agricultural schools 26 

Examples of experimental work 28 

Variety tests of cotton, Southeast Alabama Agricultural School 28 

Experiment with oats, Fifth District Agricultural School 29 

Effects of nitrate of soda on oats 30 

[Bull. 220] (-5^ 



ILLUSTRATIONS. 



rase 
Plate I. Fig. 1. — Main building, First District Agricultural School, Jackson. 

Fig. 2. — Main building. Southeast Agricultural School, Abbeville. 16 
II. Plowing 10 inches deep with two-horse disk plow, experiment sta- 
tion, Southeast Agricultural School, Abbeville 18 

III. Fig. 1. — Four-acre cotton demonstration plat which yielded six bales 

of cotton. Fourth District Agricultural School, Sylacauga. Fig. 

2. — Main building. Fifth District Agricultural School, Wetumpka. . 18 

IV. Fig. 1. — Girls working in chemical laboratory. Sixth District Agri- 

cultural School, Hamilton. Fig. 2. — Main building, Eighth Dis- 
trict Agricultural School, Athens 20 

V. Members of the junior class pruning the vineyard of the Seventh 

District Agricultural School, Albertville 22 

VI. Members of the freshman class compounding fertilizers, Seventh Dis- 
trict Agricultural School, Albertville 22 

VII. Fig. 1. — Mowing alfalfa on the State farm, Ninth District Agricultural 
School, Blountsville. Fig. 2. — Pupils picking cotton on the State 

farm. Ninth District Agricultural School, Blountsville 24 

VIII. Map of the nine congressional districts in Alabama 24 

[Bull. 220] ^g) 



SECONDARY AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION IN 

ALABAMA. 



INTRODUCTION. 

Pursuant to an act of the Congress of the United States, approved 
July 2, 1862, the general assembly of Alabama, by an act approved 
February 26, 1872, established the Agricultural and Mechanical 
College of Alabama (Alabama Polytechnic Institute) at Auburn, in 
Lee County, for the benefit of agriculture and the mechanic arts. 

In recognition of the value to the State of the experiment station 
at Auburn, in less than a score of years from its establishment, a 
movement was inaugurated for the location of branch agricultural 
experiment stations and agricultural schools for the purpose of 
making rural life more attractive and for the upbuilding of the 
farming interests of the State. 

Alabama was the pioneer in bringing into existence a system of 
congressional district agricultural schools. This work was begun in 
Alabama seventeen years before the system was established in 
Georgia, and Alabama and Georgia are the only States in the United 
States which have as a part of their educational system a branch 
agricultural experiment station and agricultural school for each 
congressional district. 

No feature of state education in Alabama, during the last twenty 
years, has been watched more closely or by a larger portion of the 
people. That these schools have borne with credit the searching 
scrutiny and criticism of people in all paths of life is in itself an evi- 
dence of their value. They have accomplished results beneficial 
beyond question to agriculture, Alabama's preeminent industry. 
The experiment stations have practically illustrated the benefits 
resulting from intelligent, scientific agriculture in the various seed 
and fertilizer tests, in the rotation of crops, in seed breeding, and in 
exhibiting the adaptation of the different types of soil to the produc- 
tion of the various crops. 

LEGISLATION. 

The Alabama system of congressional district agricultural schools 
was initiated under the provisions of a bill ''to establish a branch 
agricultural experiment station and branch agricultural school in 
north Alabama," which was approved February 28, 1889. Under 

[Bull. 220] /ys 



8 

this act two branch agricultural schools and experiment stations 
were estabhshed. The bill provided that the commissioner of agri- 
culture and the director of the experiment station at Auburn should 
locate the stations and schools. Accordingly one was located at 
Athens and the other at Abbeville. It was provided that the board 
of control for each institution should consist of the commissioner of 
agriculture, the director of the experiment station at Auburn, and 
five progressive farmers. The five for north Alabama were to be 
farmers w^ho were actually engaged in cultivating Tennessee valley 
lands, and the five for southeast Alabama those who were actually 
engaged in cultivating red pine lands. The five members of each 
board were to be appointed by the governor, and three of them were 
to reside within 10 miles of the stations. The boards of control were 
given the power to elect presidents, teachers, and directors, and to 
manage the schools and stations as they should think best. For the 
first year the State appropriated $3,000 to each school, and for every 
year thereafter $2,500, payments to be made quarterly. The board 
of control was given authority to purchase lands, not exceeding 40 
acres for each station, and to construct the necessary buildings and 
other improvements. It was provided that experiments should be 
made at the stations to advance the interests of scientific agriculture 
and that chemical analyses should be made by the state chemist, 
under the supervision of the commissioner of agriculture. 

With one exception the schools and stations located at Abbeville 
and Athens by the above act were the first secondary agricultural 
institutions for white students receiving state aid to be established 
in the United States.'^ The act estabhshing these schools was 
amended on February 13, 1893, the amendment providing that the 
schools should receive $3,000 annually and that the board of control 
be authorized to purchase 80 acres of land for each school. 

Another act of the general assembly to estabhsh a branch agri- 
cultural school and experiment station in northeast Alabama, to be 
located by the governor, the state superintendent of education, and 
the commissioner of agriculture, was vetoed by the governor, but 
passed both houses by the constitutional majority on February 21, 
1893. Under this act a school was located at Albertville, on Sand 
Mountain. On the same date a bill was also approved estabhshing 
a branch station and school in southwest Alabama, which was 
located at Evergreen. The two bills provided for boards of control 
to be composed of the commissioner of agriculture, the director of 
the experiment station at Auburn, and five progressive farmers for 
each school, with the same quahfications as for the two schools 
estabhshed in 1889. The boards of control were given the same 

a The Minnesota School of Agriculture at St. Anthony Park was established in 1888. 
[Bull. 220] 



powers as' under the act of 1889, to elect officers and teachers, to 
manage the school and station, to purchase lands — 80 acres for 
Albertville and 50 acres for Evergreen — to construct buildings and 
improvements, and to cause experiments and chemical analyses to 
be made. 

Still another act, approved February 4, 1895, provided that 25 
cents per ton — one-half the amount of the ' ' tag tax " on all fertilizers 
sold or exchanged in the State — should be appropriated and applied in 
equal parts to the support of the four agricultural schools and stations 
located at Abbeville, Athens, Albertville, and Evergreen, and to any 
other branch agricultural schools and stations created afterwards by 
the legislature of the State. 

It will be noted that this act anticipated the estabhshment of 
other branch agricultural schools and stations. This indicates that 
at this early period in their existence there was a general recognition 
of their value. The last-named act, however, marks the beginning 
of a degree of opposition to the system of .schools, encouraged in 
some instances by men who professed to believe that the tag tax 
was a scheme of class legislation calculated to work a hardship upon 
the tillers of the soil. The schools by dint of merit, in a great measure, 
brought this opposition to naught, but it continued to be felt until 
the generah assembly, in 1907, again appropriated the funds for the 
support of these schools from the general funds of the State. Gov- 
ernor Comer in his inaugural address for that year said : 

The tag-tax fund was established years ago. While many may question the wisdom 
of the tax, no one can question the wisdom of the application of the tax. With it you 
have built up nine great agricultural schools in the nine congressional districts, and 
the Polytechnic Institute, and they stand a living monument to the wisdom of the 
fund. 

An act was approved Februaiy 18, 1895, which established five 
additional agricultural experiment stations and agricultural schools, 
to be located in the first, fourth, fifth, sixth, and ninth congressional 
districts of the State. It was provided that these schools and 
stations should be located by the governor, the superintendent of 
education, and the commissioner of agriculture. The schools were 
established in the order named, at Jackson, Sylacauga, Wetumpka, 
Hamilton, and Blountsville. Boards of control were provided for, 
as for the four schools first established, with power to elect officers 
and teachers, to purchase lands not to exceed 80 acres for the sixth 
district and 50 acres for each of the other districts, and to construct 
necessary buildings and improvements. An amount equal to that 
appropriated for each of the other district agricultural schools of 
Alabama was provided for these new schools, on condition that no 
school and station should be established in any of said districts until 
real estate or buildings of not less than $5,000 in value should have 

492fr-Bull. 220—09 2 



10 

been donated and conveyed to the State for the use of such stations 
and schools. 

Since carrying out the provisions of this act, Alabama has sup- 
ported nine agricultural schools and experiment stations, one for each 
congressional district. These nine schools were brought under the 
provisions of an act approved January 30, 1897, which regulates the 
appropriation and pertains to the management of the schools and 
stations. Under this general act the appropriation was made $2,500 
annually to each school, to be paid quarterly, with the condition that 
not less than $500 of the sum should be used in maintaining, culti- 
vating, and improving the farms, and in making agricultural experi- 
ments. The boards of control were to consist of the commissioner of 
agriculture, the superintendent of education, and five additional 
members, a majority of whom should be farmers. This was later 
amended to provide that the boards of control should consist of the 
governor, the commissioner of agriculture, the superintendent of 
education, and two local members for each district. 

Under this bill it was further provided that the president of each 
school should be the director of the local experiment station, that 
bulletins should be published from time to time giving information 
for farmers and the results of experiments, that practical and scien- 
tific agricultiu-e should be taught at all the agricultural schools, that 
all students over 10 years of age receiving free tuition should be re- 
quired to take the coiu-se in scientific agriculture and horticulture, 
and that all students over 10 years of age should be required to take 
the coiu-se in floriculture. No school could receive the appropriation 
unless actually conducting an agricultural experiment station and 
agricultiu-al school. A normal featiu-e was introduced in the require- 
ment that a coiu-se of study be adopted with a view to educating and 
training pupils to be teachers in public schools of Alabama, and grant- 
ing them suitable diplomas upon the completion of the com-se of 
study. This general law went into effect April 2, 1897. 

Wliile not a part of the original scheme for the congressional dis- 
trict agricultiu-al schools, it is of interest to note that on February 15, 
1897, an act was approved establishing two branch agricultural ex- 
periment stations for the colored race. One was located at Tuskegee, 
in connection with the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute ; 
the other at Montgomery, in connection with the Alabama Nor- 
mal School for Colored Students. 

EDUCATIONAL AWAKENING. 

The past four years marks an epoch in the educational histor}^ of 
Alabama. The appropriations for education covering this period 
aggregate an increase of nearly $3,000,000 over the old appropria- 

[BuU. 220] 



11 

tions. In his message to the general assembly, Governor Comer 
made a strong recommendation that the appropriation for the agri- 
cultural schools should be increased. The following is quoted from 
this message: 

The nine agricultural schools, located one in each of the nine congressional dis- 
tricts, are doing a great work and should be encouraged. I have visited the schools at 
Abbeville, Henry County, and at Albertville, Marshall County, and was very much 
impressed with the magnitude of the successful work they were doing, and unhesitat- 
ingly recommend not only their continuance, but their enlargement. The money 
allotted to these schools, $2,500 a year each, is the least appropriation for equivalent 
work of any benevolent or educational work of the State. They are asking you to 
increase this appropriation. I compliment them on the modesty of the request, and 
am sure the State could not authorize a more economical and profitable expenditure. 
These schools are located in different parts of the State, generally where board is 
cheap, and they furnish the boys and girls outside of the cities not only with the most 
economical agricultural lessons, but also with the best substitute for high schools. 

On March 2, 1907, a bill was approved making the appropriation 
for each of the agricultural schools, $4,500 a year, out of the general 
funds of the State. It is required that $750 of this amount be ex- 
pended on the experiment station. This is an increase of $2,000 for 
each school over the old appropriation. 

The main building at Wetumpka having been destroyed by fire 
and the main building at Athens by a cyclone, the legislature came 
to the rescue by appropriating $10,000 for the former school and 
$6,000 for the latter. 

ORGANIZATION OF THE DISTRICT AGRICULTURAL SCHOOLS. 

The code of Alabama, which was approved July 27, 1907, and which 
went into effect May 1, 1908, devotes sections 59 to 69, inclusive, of 
the political code, to the agricultural schools and experiment sta- 
tions. The eleven sections cover the establishment and the basis of 
control as explained above, and codify the laws under the following 
heads, viz: 

59. Branch agricultural experiment stations and schools for every congressional 
district; how governed and controlled. 

60. Appropriations out of agriculture fund; when prorated; as amended March 2, 
1907. 

61. Not less than $750 to be used in making agricultural experiments. 

62. Treasiner to give bond in sum of $1,000. 

63. Director of school. 

64. Bulletins to be prepared and published. 

65. President to make annual report to the superintendent of education and to the 
commissioner of agriculture. 

66. President to make quarterly report to the board as to finances. 

67. Scientific agriculture to be taught. 

68. Appropriation withheld unless agricultmal experiments are conducted by the 
school. 

69. Course of study and training; certificate of proficiency or diploma, 
[Bull, 220] 



12 

Section 61 of the political code is of special interest, as it indicates 
the connection which exists between the Alabama Polytechnic In- 
stitute at Auburn and the nine branch schools and stations. It is as 
follows : 

Not less than $750 shall be used in maintaining, cultivating, and improving the farms, 
respectively, and in making agricultural experiments thereon under and by direction 
of the board of control and the professor of agriculture of the Alabama Polytechnic 
Institute. The course in scientific agriculture and floriculture shall be formulated 
for the schools and experiment stations by the said professor of agriculture of the Ala- 
bama Polytechnic Institute. When on official visits, said professor of agriculture 
shall be paid by the board of control his traveling expenses thus incurred. 

BOARDS OF CONTROL. 

The boards of control include the following state officials : Hon. B. 
B. Comer, governor; Hon. H. C. Gunnels, superintendent of educa- 
tion; Hon. J. A. Wilkinson, commissioner of agriculture; and Hon. 
W. F. Feagin, secretary-treasurer. In addition to these general offi- 
cials there are two local members for the board in each district, as 
previously explained. 

COURSE OF STUDY. 

The course of study, made uniform for the nine schools, has been 
recently revised by a committee appointed for the purpose consisting 
of President C. J. Owens, President J. B. Hobdy, and Prof. J. F. 
Duggar, director of the Alabama Experiment Station. Their report, 
which follows, was unanimously adopted by the Association of Ag- 
ricultural Schools of Alabama, to go into effect with the beginning of 
the school year 1909. It is based on an elementary coiu-se of seven 
grades. 

AGKICULTURAL-SCIENTIFIC COURSE. 

First Year. 

first term. „ 

Hours 
Agriculture: per week. 

Agriculture for Southern Schools 3 

Practical work 1 

Science — Physiography 2 

History — English history 3 

Mathematics: 

Arithmetic 5 

Algebra 5 

English — Grammar reviewed, rhetoric and composition 5 

24 

[Bull. 220] 



13 

SECOND TERM. „ 

Agriculture: p^o.-,. 

Agriculture for Southern Schools 3 

Practical work i 

Science — Physiography 2 

History — English history 3 

Mathematics: 

Arithmetic 5 

Algebra 5 

English — Rhetoric and composition 5 

24 
Second Year. 

first term. 
Agriculture: 

Soils and crops 5 

Practical work i 

Science — Physiology 4 

History— Ancient history 3 

Mathematics — Algebra 5 

English— Rhetoric and composition 5 

23 

SECOND TERM. 

Agriculture: 

Botany 5 

Practical work ; i 

■Science — Physiology 4 

History — Ancient history 3 

Mathematics — Algebra completed 5 

English— Rhetoric and composition 5 

23 
Third Year. 

first term. 
Agriculture: 

Stock lectures, agricultural literature 2 

Practical work i 

Science— Physics and laboratory work 5 

History— Mediaeval history 3 

Mathematics: 

Arithmetic reviewed 3 

Plane geometry 5 

English— English literature 5 

24 

SECOND TERM. 

Agriculture: 

Horticulture 2 

Botany o 

Practical work ' j 

Science— Physics and laboratory work 5 

History— Modern history 3 

Mathematics— Plane geometry 5 

English— English literature 5 

Pedagogy —Theory and practice of teaching, school laws ' 3 

[Bull. 220] ^^ 



14 

Fourth Year. 

FIRST TERM. Hours 

per week. 

Agriculture — Dairying, soils, and fertilizers 5 

Science — Chemistry and laboratory work 5 

History — American and civics 3 

Mathematics: 

Solid geometry 3 

Plane trigonometry 2 

English — American literature 5 

23 

SECOND TERM. 

Agriculture — Agricultural literatiue 5 

Science — Chemistry and laboratory work 5 

History — American and civics 3 

Mathematics — Plane trigonometry, surveying 5 

English — American literature 5 

23 
AGRICULTURAL-CLASSICAL COURSE. 

First Year. 

Omit physiography and history from agricultural-scientific course and 
substitute first-year Latin, 5 hours. 

Second Year. 

Omit physiology from agricultural-scientific course and substitute 
Csesar, 5 hours. 

Third Year. 

Omit stock lectures and agricultural literature from agricultural- 
scientific course and substitute Cicero, 5 hours. 

Fourth Year. 

Omit soils and fertilizers and agricultural literature from agricultural- 
scientific course and substitute Virgil, 5 hours. 

In the course in agriculture the student will be required to read 
bulletins on the subjects of study from the state stations and from 
the IJnited States Department of Agriculture. In the course in 
English the student will be required to do the reading prescribed 
for college entrance. Penmanship and orthography will be required 
throughout the courses. The regulation requiring the students to 
work two hours a week on the experiment station will be rigidly 
enforced. At the option of any institution, bookkeeping, with special 
reference to farm accounts, may be substituted for agricultural 
literature. 

[Bull. 220] 



15 

OTHER POINTS IN COMMON. 

In addition to the features which the schools have in common, 
already mentioned, a few others should be emphasized before sketch- 
ing the history of the several schools and stations. 

(1) The object of these schools may ))e briefly stated as follows: 

(a) To turn out young men well grounded in the under- 

lying principles of scientific and practical agriculture, 
that they may make successful planters and advance 
the farming interests of the State. 

(b) To give such instruction and training as will fix in the 

minds of the young men high ideals of practical 
country-life education, as is done in the best agri- 
cultural high schools under the name of " agriculture 
and home economics." 

(c) To educate and fully equip young men and women for 

efficient teaching in the public schools of the State. 

(d) To prepare those who desire to enter higher institutions 

of learning. 

(e) To give to all a thorough, practical education, and to 

instill in them a broad and correct idea of true Ameri- 
can citizenship. 

(2) All the schools are under the same executive committee, with 
headquarters in Montgomery. William F. Feagin is the secretary- 
treasurer of this committee and is the custodian of the funds of the 
nine schools. The nine presidents send their monthly reports and 
pay rolls to the secretary-treasurer. All checks for salaries, sup- 
plies, and incidentals are issued monthly by the secretary- treasurer. 

(3) The schools are conducted for the same length of time each 
year, one hundred and eighty days of actual school work constituting 
a session. 

(4) The schools are coeducational. As a number of young ladies 
are enrolled, courses are offered in all the schools in music, expression, 
and art. The teachers in these departments are given the income 
from class fees for their services. These departments are well pat- 
ronized, and the teachers in charge possess high qualifications for 
their work. 

EQUIPMENT AND WORK OF THE INDIVIDUAL SCHOOLS. 
FIRST DISTRICT. 

Faculty: W. Franklin Monk, M. S., president (Alabama Poly- 
technic Institute); W. F. Nichols, B. S., agriculturist (Agricul- 
tural College of Mississippi); T. Calvin Stephens, A. M.; and D. W. 
McLain, B. Ph. 

[Bull. 220] 



16 

The school is located at Jackson, in Clarke County, on the Tom- 
bigbee River, on a plateau 300 feet above the river. The school 
was opened for students on September 16, 1896. 

The experiment station of 49 acres is equipped with most modern 
farming implements and provided with live stock. The industrial 
department includes (1) a school garden, constituting a laboratory 
to accompany the text-book work in agriculture, horticulture, and 
floriculture; (2) the farm, equipped with dwelling, barn, live stock, 
farm tools, and dairy; (3) a well-equipped wood shop on the campus. 
On the farm seed and fertilizer tests of special value to the district 
are made; m the wood shop pupils take lessons in woodwork from 
drawings and in working with lathes, saws, molders, shapers, and 
other tools. The shop has an equipment worth SI, 500. Instruction 
is also offered in the commercial branches. The school has its 
students organized in literary societies. The library consists of 
about 600 volumes and many agricultural reports. The main build- 
ing (PI. I, fig. 1) is a handsome structure, fitted with modern school 
furniture. The people have shown a fine spirit in the active interest 
they have taken in the work of the school. 

SECOND DISTRICT. 

Faculty: Henry T. Lile, president; A. IT. Chapman, agriculturist; 
Miss Vida Jones and Miss Susie Carmichael. 

The school is located at Evergreen, in Conecuh County, on the high- 
lands of southwest Alabama. The perfect system of natural drainage 
and the invigorating air and pure water have made Evergreen a desir- 
able winter resort. The school opened in the fall of 1893. 

The main building was erected on a beautiful plat, consisting of 10 
acres of well-shaded land, at a cost of $12,000. It is a three-story 
structure, the first storj'- of brick, and is equipped with water system 
and electric lights. The library consists of 500 volumes. The exper- 
iment station has a good dwelling house, barn, farming tools, and 
a pair of horses. Every student is required to take the agricultural 
course in fidl. Under its present management it is believed that the 
school will have a far-reaching effect upon the agricultural develop- 
ment of the district. The president will make a thorough campaign 
through the several counties and endeavor to have the school and 
station brought into closer relation to the entire congressional district. 

THIRD DISTRICT. 

Faculty: Clarence J. Owens, A. M., president (George Washington 
University); J. Buhrman Espy, M. S., agriculturist (Alabama Poly- 
technic Institute); Miss Martha Armstrong (Peabody College for 
Teachers, University of Nashville); Dow Levi Perry, jr., A. B. 
(Southern University). 

[Bull. 220] 



U. S. Dept. of Agr., Bui. 220, Office of Expt. Stations. 



Plate I. 




Fig. 1.— Main Building, First District Agricultural School, Jackson. 




Fig. 2.— Main Building, Southeast Agricultural School, Abbeville. 



17 

This school is located at Abbeville, Henry County, in the "wire- 
grass section" of the State (PL I, fig. 2). The school has the distinc- 
tion of being the first of its type to be established in the United States, 
and has been in operation for a score of years. The first president was 
Prof. Joseph S. Espy, a graduate of Emory and Henry College,Virginia, 
wdiose son has served for a number of years as the agriculturist in charge 
of the experiment station. Judge Jolin B. Ward, who was the cham- 
pion of the measure establishing the school, is a resident of Abbeville. 
Prof. J. Vandiver Brown, now superintendent of schools of Dothan, 
Ala., served as president of the school for a period of nine years. 

The main building is a brick structure, built in the best style of 
modern school architecture, with assembly hall, class rooms, labora- 
tory, library, art, and music rooms. The school has a well-equipped 
physical and chemical laboratory. The library contains 2,000 volumes 
and many agricultural reports. The students are organized in 
athletic, literary, patriotic, and Christian associations. A commercial 
department is in successful operation. The students are under mili- 
tary discipline, in a well-drilled cadet battalion. Funds have been 
secured for the erection of a library building to cost $5,000. 

The experiment station is equipped with dwelling, barns, many 
modern farming implements, and live stock. The* station owns a 
registered Shorthorn bull, registered Duroc-Jersey hogs, a fine lot of 
White Wyandotte chickens, an incubator, and a brooder. Bulletins 
of the experiments are published regularly and distributed throughout 
the district. This school was victorious in 1908 in the interasrricul- 
tural school oratorical contest and also in the interagricultural school 
essay contest, both dealing with agricultural subjects. The Alabama 
Agricultural Association awarded the school a diploma on results 
attained with the "Williamson method" of cultivating corn and also 
on long-staple cotton. In 1908 it also awarded the school a cash 
prize on its exhibit at the state fair. The work of the station has been 
directed to such experiments as would be beneficial to the farmers of 
this congressional district. The following subjects have received 
special investigation: 

(1) Chemical needs of the soil. 

(2) Remedies for physical defects of the soil. 

(3) Improvement of worn land. 

(4) Rotation of crops. 

(5) Variety tests of corn. 

(6) Variety tests of cotton. 

(7) Fertilizer tests with corn. 

(8) Fertilizer tests with cotton. 

(9) Experiments with the different forage crops and grasses to see 
which are best adapted to this section. 

(10) Theoretical and practical investigation in methods of culti- 
vation. 



18 

Instruction is given by means of lectures, text-books, bulletins, and 
practical work on the farm. Last year students assisted in making 
nearly all of the experiments. The school has breeding plats of corn 
and cotton. In the school garden on the campus quite a number of 
cereals and garden crops were planted ; all this work is done by the 
students (PL II). The students assisted in making a soil survey of the 
experiment station, under the direction of G. B. Jones, an expert in 
the employ of the United States Bureau of Soils. The following 
extract from a letter written by Hon. J. A. Wilkinson, commissioner 
of agriculture and industries, indicates the high grade work which is 
being done by the students of the school along the line of agriculture : 

We have had under consideration and careful study the ten essays sent from your 
school, and five of our best men in the capitol have read over these essays. I leave the 
annotations on the covers of each piece that you may read and get somewhat the opin- 
ions of the five experts who took part in rendering the final decision in favor of the essay 
headed, "The Improvement of the Soil." After a conference of the entire committee, 
including myself, we have unanimously agreed that the above selection is the very 
best we can do, and the gentlemen suggest, and the whole department here concur, 
in asking you to have printed, in pamphlet form, all of these essays for circulation; as 
we are of the opinion that nothing could be done to so stir the youth to the study of 
these practical, beautiful, and, I might say, profound topics. Let us congratulate all 
of these young men on their most signal success. We confess that we have been aston- 
ished and delighted with these several products. The study of these essays will be 
to the betterment not only of the youth of the State but to our older people as well. 

FOURTH DISTRICT. 

Faculty: George H. Thigpen, president; E. W. Jenkins, agricul- 
turist; R. O. Dykes, Ph. B.; Miss Sallie Donaldson, B. Litt. The 
agriculturist is a graduate of the Troy Normal College. He will take 
the summer courses at Cornell to further prepare himself for his duties. 

This school is located at Sylacauga, Talladega County, among the 
foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. It was opened for students 
in September, 1897. 

The main building is a three-story structure of Queen Anne archi- 
tecture. It cost $.32,000. The third floor is used for dormitory, and 
the first and second floors for recitation rooms, study hall, library, 
dining room, etc. The building is fitted with a water system and 
electric lights. Flourishing literary societies have been organized. 

The farm is situated at the foot of Broadway, about 400 yards from 
the school building. It contains 40 acres. It is rolling in portions, 
giving excellent opportunity for scientific terracing. Other portions 
are low and level, and here is shown the good effects of underdraining. 
The station has two of the best mules, 6 years old, weighing 2,400 
pounds All the implements, consisting of plows, harrows, etc., are 
of the approved modern types. 

The school has apparatus for performing experiments in agriculture, 
chemistry, and physics. There is a good working library, which has 

[Bull. 220] 



U. S. Dept. of Agr 



220, Office of Expt. Stations, 



Plate 




U. S. Dept. of Agr., Bui. 220, Office of Expt. Stations. 



Plate III. 




Fig. 1.— Four-Acre Cotton Deivionstration Plat Which Yielded Six Bales of 
Cotton, Fourth District Agricultural School, Sylacauga. 




Fig. 2.— Main Building, Fifth District Agricultural School, Wetumpka. 



19 

recently received a gift of 150 choice volumes. Arrangements have 
also been made for the further equipment of the library. 

The students are taken to the fields by the teacher of agriculture, 
where they study the soil, analyze it, mix fertilizers, perform experi- 
ments, and make observations (PL III, fig. 1). The school not only 
trains the boys and girls in the principles of agriculture, but also inter- 
ests the farmers throughout the district in the more improved methods. 
This year many farmers in the district have visited the farm and given 
evidence of interest in the work. The next bulletin will give in detail 
the methods of cultivation, the amount of fertilizers used per acre, 
the treatment of fruit trees, and various other experiments. That the 
farmers are interested is attested by the fact that these bulletins 
are eagerly sought for. The students are thoroughly interested in 
the subject of agriculture. The school is doing its part in the effort 
to bring about a still greater interest in the intelligent cultivation of the 

soil. 

FIFTH DISTRICT. 

Faculty: Leonard L. Vann, A. M., president; C. B. Haddon, B. S., 
agriculturist; E. E. Tarr, A. B., physical director; Florence Williams, 
director of the domestic science department; Harrietts B. Brogdon, 
A. B.; and Lovie Irene Fielder. 

The school is located at Wetumpka, on the Coosa River, near the 
geographical center of the State. It was established in 1895. This 
school has the most extensive equipment of any of the schools. 

Through the earnest efforts of ex-President H. J. Willingham, the 
trustees, citizens, town authorities, the governor, and the legislature, 
the fifth district has the handsomest, most commodious, and best- 
equipped school building in the State (PI. Ill, fig. 2). It has a very 
superior auditorium, with excellent library rooms, art rooms, music 
rooms, elocution rooms, domestic-science rooms, chemical and physi- 
cal laboratory, class rooms, batlirooms, toilet rooms, gymnasium, 
president's office, society rooms, broad halls and stairways, and every- 
thing necessary to make the building safe, healthful, and attractive. 
The rooms and auditorium are furnished throughout in oak — single 
desks, opera chairs, and teachers' desks — and fitted with electric 
lights, steam heat, and sanitary sewerage. The building is of brick 
and concrete, three stories, and cost over $41,000. 

The students are organized for athletic and literary culture. The 
general library is excellent and the school has also an agricultural 
library. 

The experiment station consists of 80 acres of land, located near 
the school building. The soil came from the decay of the old granite 
rock, and ranges in texture from clay to sandy loam. The student 
has ample facilities for studying the various types of soils and their 
adaptability to the different crops of this section. 

[Bull. 220] 



20r 

The farm is divided into two sections — one of 15 acres for experi- 
ments and the other of about 45 acres for general farming. The 
15-acre piece is divided into plats of different sizes, which are used 
for experiments. The leading varieties of cotton, corn, oats, and 
vegetables are under experiment, and the student is given an oppor- 
tunity to study their development. The remainder of the farm is 
devoted to general farm crops, and general methods of farming are 
employed in which the student takes part. The students are 
arranged in sections and do farm work of some kind each week. 
Bulletins are published regularly in which valuable experiments are 
reported in detail. The orchard contains pears, peaches, plums, 
apples, grapes, and other fruits. 

In addition to the regular experiment station, the school maintains, 
within a few. feet of the building, a school garden consisting of three- 
fourths of an acre, in which the students do all the actual work of 
preparing the soil and growing the crops. In this school garden may 
be found all the varieties of vegetables and many different flowers, as 
well as small plats of field crops and grasses. The advantages of 
such a garden may be briefly indicated: 

(1) It affords a release from the routine of the schoolroom and puts 
the pupil out into the fresh air and sunlight. 

(2) It teaches the composition and care of the soil, the best con- 
ditions of plant life, the value of fertilizers, seed selection, etc. 

(3) It develops the sense of ownership and respect for property. In 
the care of their own plats the pupils fight common enemies and learn 
that a bad weed in a neglected plat may make trouble for many others. 

(4) It forms a pleasant avenue of communication between the 
school and the home, relating them in a new and living way, thereby 
strengthening the public interest in the school. 

SIXTH DISTKICT. 

Faculty: H. O. Sargent, M. S., president and agriculturist (Ala- 
bama Polytechnic Institute) ; J. A. Johnson, A. B. ; W. M. Sellers, 
A. B.; and Goldie Miller, B. S. 

This school is located at Hamilton, Marion County, on the high- 
lands of West Alabama, along the upper Buttahatchie River. The 
school was established in 1895, and has met with remarkable approval 
from people of all classes. 

The main building is a neat two-story, eight-room structure, situ- 
ated on a two-acre campus. It is well equipped. The school has a 
working library and a complete physical and chemical laboratory 
(PI. IV, fig. 1). It has three well-organized literary societies. A 
teachers' training course is provided, which prepares students for the 
state examination and gives instruction in practical psychology and 
the methods of teaching all the subjects in the common school course. 

[Bull. 220] 



U. S, Dept. of Agr., Bui. 220, Office of Expt. Stations. 



Plate IV. 




Fig. 1.— Girls Workino in Chemical Laboratory, Sixth District Agricultural 
School, Hamilton. 




Fig. 2.— Main Building, Eighth District Agricultural School, Athens. 



21 

The farm has its own barn, lot, tool house, farming implements, 
wagon, and other equipment. On the station is a large young orchard 
of many varieties of fruit and a vineyard of more than a hundred 
vines. The student who helps to care for these learns in a practical 
way important lessons in pruning, cultivation, and care of the farm. 

The experiment station devotes about 40 acres to experiments with 

cotton, corn, forage plants, and other crops. The student has an 

opportunity to see experiments illustrating the effect of crop potation, 

fertilizer tests, and the growth of certain varieties of cotton, corn, 

grapes, fruits, leguminous plants, and the like. All pupils are required 

to do practical work in budding and grafting. The larger portion of 

the station is divided into plats containing one-fourth or one-eighth 

acre each, where the leading varieties of corn, cotton, wheat, and oats 

are being tested. Special attention is given to alfalfa, vetch, crimson 

clover, soy beans, and the different methods of fertilizing corn and 

cotton. 

SEVENTH DISTRICT. 

Faculty: J. B. Hobdy, M. S., president and agriculturist (Alabama 
Polytechnic Institute); Sylvester Greer; L, J. Fowler; Miss Amelia 
Kennedy; Miss Mary C. Winn; and Miss Alma Bishop. 

The school is located at Albertville, in Marshall County, on Sand 
Mountain, a spur of the Cumberland Mountains. It is situated on a 
broad plateau, which slopes on the north to the Tennessee River, on 
the east to the valley of the Cooaa River, on the south to the head- 
waters of the Warrior River, and on the west to Browns Valley. The 
school was established in 1893 and organized in 1894. William F. 
Feagin, the chief clerk in the Alabama department of education and 
the secretary-treasurer of the boards of control of the nine agricultural 
schools, was for a number of years the president of the school, being 
succeeded by the present incumbent in 1901. 

The school and experiment station are located within the town 
limits of Albertville, the school grounds covering 2 blocks and the 
station 48 acres of very valuable land. The building is very commo- 
dious and is conveniently arranged. It is equipped with all necessary 
fixtures and laboratory apparatus and has a library well supplied with 
desirable literature. 

This school has the largest enrollment of any of the nine schools. 
During the past session 282 pupils were enrolled, 15 counties of 
Alabama and 4 other States being represented in the student body. 
For the benefit of those who desire review work preparatory to taking 
the state examination, a special review course is offered. The stu- 
dents are well organized for physical and literary development. 

Both theoretical and practical agriculture are taught (Pis. V and 
VI). Text-books on all branches of agriculture, including horticul- 
ture, floriculture, soils and crops, dairying, live stock, and agricultural 
chemistry, are taught in the school. 

[Bull. 220] 



22 

The station is the pupils' laboratory. The president of the school 
is the agriculturist and director in charge of the practical work. He 
has had training that especially fits him for giving practical instruc- 
tion. There are about 40 acres in cultivation. On this land such 
experiments are being made as will advance scientific horticulture and 
agriculture. Bulletins of information to farmers, and showing the 
results of experiments conducted on the farm, are published in all the 
weekly papers of the district. 

A certain amount of manual labor is required of all students. This 
work, as nearly as possible, is in direct line with the work in the class- 
room, and hence is strongly educational. The station is conducted 
as a model farm, being arranged in the manner and conducted accord- 
ing to the methods which are considered best suited to the peculiar 
conditions prevailing in northeast Alabama, and therefore best 
adapted to make farming in this part of the State remunerative 
and satisfactory. Students are encouraged to take the individual 
care of certain plats, or special crops, and opportunity is afforded 
them personally to prosecute experiments and investigations. 

EIGHTH DISTRICT. 

Faculty: J. M. Atkinson, B. S., president (Alabama Polytechnic 
Institute); H. K. Strickland, B. S., agriculturist (Clemson College, 
S. C); Miss Sarah Bandy; and Miss Zula Lee, B. S. (University of 
Alabama). 

The school is located at Athens, in the central part of north Ala- 
bama, equidistant from Nashville and Birmingham. It was estab- 
lished in 1889, and has the distinction of being one of the first two 
schools of its type to be established in the United States. Under 
the present system the school is working very effectively. 

The school has a large new main building (PL IV, fig. 2) which cost 
$12,000 and is finely equipped. The president's home is on the 
campus. The school grounds consist of 13 acres, 6 of which is sward 
covered with a grove of original growth inclosed by a hedge of osage 
orange. The remaining 7 acres are devoted to experiments and 
gardens. The school maintains two literary societies and has a 
library. A teachers' review course is offered. 

The experiment station consists of 150 acres, half of which is in 
cultivation, and is furnished with good mules and many farming 
implements of modern type. The station is situated in a section of 
the most fertile land in the State. All students are required to take 
scientific and practical agriculture, and male students are required to 
do actual labor on the farm. "The agricultural school, like all other 
new enterprises, has had to struggle for that prestige which it should 
have, sometimes without the sympathy and support it justly merits 
from the people of the district," but the beneficial influence of the 

[Bull. 220] 



U. S. Dept. of Agr., Bui. 220, Office of Expt. Stations. 



Plate V. 




U. S. Depi of Agr., Bui. 220, Office of Expt. Stations, 



Plate VI. 




23 

school is being felt throughout the district, and its usefulness is 
being appreciated more and more as its graduates go into the field 
of teaching and other employment and show thorough preparation 
for taking the agricultural courses at the Alabama Polytechnic 
Institute. 

The following subjects are fully investigated before the students: 

(1) Chemical needs of the soil. 

(2) How to remedy the defects of the soil. 

(3) How to improve worn soil. 

(4) Variety tests of corn and cotton. 

(5) Fertilizer tests of corn and cotton. 

(6) Experiments with various forage crops for this section. 

(7) Kotation of crops. 

(8) Practical investigation in methods of cultivation. 

NINTH DISTRICT. 

Faculty: E. A. Miller, M. S., president and agriculturist (Alabama 
Polyteclinic Institute); S. L. Gipson, B. S.; B. L. Noojin, B. S.; Miss 
W. E. Chumley, B. S.; and Miss Marion Knapp, B. S. 

President Miller, who serves as agriculturist, received his training 
for this work by a two-year undergraduate course and a one-year 
postgraduate course at the Alabama Polytechnic Institute. 

This school is located at Blountsville, Blount County, in the high- 
lands of north Alabama. It was established in 1895. Dr. J. A. B. 
Lovett served as president from 1899 to 1906, when he was succeeded 
by the present incumbent. 

The main building is a commodious two-story structure, consisting 
of a large well-seated chapel, convenient and well-equipped section 
rooms, chemical laboratory, and library. A teachers' review course 
is offered. The students are organized for athletic and literary 
culture. 

The farm consists of about 75 acres of land, has a good substantial 
farmhouse, barn, and up-to-date farming implements. Two horses, 
improved breeds of hogs, and chickens are kept on the farm. 

The work in the subject of agriculture consists in the study of 
elementary texts on the subject, practical work in compounding 
fertilizers, grafting, seed selection, and methods of cultivation and 
harvesting (PI. VII). Both theoretical and practical work is done in 
the allied subjects of chemistry and botany. ''The pupils and the 
patrons of this district have a much greater appreciation of, and 
deeper sympathy with, the work of the school than in former years. 
The farmers of the district are taking advantage of the truths 
demonstrated on the farm, and through the pupils the school is 
impressing upon the people of the district the importance of improved 
methods and implements." 

[Bull. 220] 



24 

ASSOCIATION OF PRESIDENTS AND AGKICULTURISTS. 

A movement, inaugurated by Hon. J. A. Wilkinson, commissioner 
of agriculture and industries, and which received the indorsement of 
Governor B. B. Comer, resulted in 1907 in the organization of an 
association of the presidents and agriculturists of the nine district 
agricultural schools of the State. The commissioner of agriculture 
and his staff and the director of the Alabama Experiment Station 
with his staff were made ex-officio members of the body. The organi- 
zation of this association indicates in a great degree the recognition 
which has been given to this feature of the educational system of 
Alabama, as the members meet in convention twice a year, and all 
the expenses of the members are paid out of the agricultural fund of 
the State. The following officers have served from the beginning 
of the association: President, Hon. J. A. Wilkinson; vice-president, 
J. B. Hobdy; secretary, W. F. Monk. 

The plans itemized below indicate the activities of the organization : 

(1) The general education board is petitioned to provide the means 
for sending the graduate of each school who makes the highest grade 
in agriculture to the Alabama Polytechnic Institute. 

(2) Congressmen are urged to vote for the Davis bill, which pro- 
vides federal aid for the secondary agricultural schools. 

(3) The association pledges its cooperation in the soil surveys 
which are being made in the State. Alabama's soil-survey law was 
approved August 13, 1907, and is the first state law in the United 
States which plans to cooperate with the Federal Government in 
making soil surveys. The following counties have been surveyed: 
Lauderdale, parts of Morgan and Madison, Marion, Lamar, Blount, 
Cherokee, Talladega, Bibb, Sumter, Perry, Autauga, Lee, Macon, 
Montgomery, Dallas, Butler, Henry, and parts of Mobile and Bald- 
win. Five other counties are now being surveyed: Colbert, Culman, 
Etowah, Calhoun, and Jefferson. W. G. Smith, who is in the employ 
of the LTnited States Government as a soil expert, is an honorary 
member of the association. 

(4) Arrangements are made for a joint exhibit from the schools at 
state fairs. 

(5) Annual interagricultural school oratorical contest, with agree- 
ment that all speeches shall be on agricultural subjects. Medal 
offered by Commissioner J. A. Wilkinson. 

(6) A committee consisting of President J. B. Hobdy, President 
C. J. Owens, and Director J. F. Duggar, of the Auburn Experiment 
Station, has recently revised the course of study for the schools. (See 
pp. 12-14.) 

(7) The Plant Breeders' Association has been organized as an out- 
growth of this association, 

[Bull. 220] 



U. S, Dept. of Agr., Bui. 220, Office of Expt. Stations. 



Plate VII 




Fig. 1, 



-Mowing Alfalfa on the State Farm, Ninth District Agricultural 
School, Blountsville. 




Fig. 2.— Pupils Picking Cotton on the State Farm, Ninth District Agricultural 

School, Blountsville. 



U. S. Dept. of Agr., Bui. 220, Office of Expt. Stations. 



Plate VIII. 



N N 



J^UDERDALE 
IcOLBtRT Ik 



ILIME- I^V 
JSTONE ti 
4m£/HS\ Of, , 



. JACKSON 



[MARION IWINSTON 



MORGAN V SiBsU/uf # 



a 
a 

if) 
CO i^ 






CULLMAN 



o 



FAYETTE] J''''~^*^--^LAIR J^^^^ J^ 

iPiCKENS •* ^ Cy 



CO 
(0 



o 
I 



SREENE (-HALE 



fMAREN- 
^60 



CLARKE 



.1^^°' 



' COOSA ri^ 

5 



t/ 



'ELMORE 

IautaugaK^'^'^'^ fj 



§ 

^ 
^ 



CHAM-1 
BERS 



O 



FdaTlas 1aa/>C'W^'^^con 

IMONTGopiJ^^^Jrussell: 
IlownpesI I bullock 



1 



■JACKSON I 
|WA5H)N(Jv^O 
TON 



BUTLER 



2i 



TCONE^UH U l^LJCOFFEE 

^eV£R6R£EN /coving - 
TON 



DALE 



HENRYJ 
O 

ABBE-] 
V/U£ 



(Hotf sTON 




Map of the Nine Congressional Districts in Alabama. 



25 

(8) The association is committed to the work of organizing boys' 
clubs for corn contests in 1909. A committee composed of Hon. 
J. A. Wilkinson, Director J. F. Duggar, Prof. J. J. Doster, the pro- 
fessor of secondary education at the University of Alabama, Presi- 
dent C. J. Owens, and President G. H. Thigpen, has been appointed 
to plan a State and local constitution, with power to act in arranging 
the plan of work. 

Much of the foregoing information may be concisely tabulated, as 

follows : 

Names and locations of schools. "■ 



Name. 


Location. 


Counties in district. 




Jackson 


Choctaw, Clarke, Marengo, Mobile, Monroe, Washing- 


Southwest Alabama 


Evergreen 


ton. 

Baldwin, Butler, Conecuh, Covington, Crenshaw, Es- 
cambia, Montgomery, Pike, Wilcox. 

Barbour, Bullock, Cofiee, Dale, Geneva, Henry, Hous- 


Fourth district 


Sylacauga 


ton, Lee, Russell. 
Calhoun, Chilton, Cleburne, Dallas, Shelby, Talladega. 


Fifth district 




Autauga, Chambers, Clay, Coosa, Elmore, Lowndes, 


Sixth district . . . 


Hamilton 


Macon, Randolph, Tallapoosa. 
Fayette, Greene, Hale, Lamar, Marion, Pickens, Sum- 


Northeast Alabama 


Albertville 


ter, Tuscaloosa, Walker. 
Cherokee, Cullman, Dekalb, Etowah, Franklin, Mar- 


North Alabama 


Athens 


shall, St. Clair, Winston. 
Colbert, Jackson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, 


Ninth district 


Blountsville 


Madison, Morgan. 
Bibb, Blount, Jefferson, Perry. 









1 The location of these schools ie shown in Plate VIII. 
General statistics. 



District. 


Established. 


Value of 
plant. 


Acres. 


Enroll- 
ment 
1907-8. 


Gradu- 
ates 
1907-8. 


Since or- 
ganiza- 
tion. 


First 


Feb. 18,1895 
Feb. 21,1893 
Feb. 28,1889 
Feb. 18,1895 
do 


$12, 500 
15,000 
30,000 
32,000 
59,000 
18,350 
22,000 
25, 000 
8,500 


49 
45 
48 
40 
80 
80 
55 
163 
80 


104 
95 
145 
91 
108 
224 
282 
115 
200 


10 
8 
23 


50 


Second.." 


75 


Third 


105 


Fourth 


60 


Fifth ■. 


6 

12 
12 
9 
6 


84 


Sixth 


.do 


60 


Seventh 


Feb. 21,1893 
Feb. 28,1889 
Feb. 18,1895 


76 


Eighth 


51 


Ninth... . 


40 






Total 


222,350 


640 


1,364 


86 


601 









Financial statement, 1908-9. 





Income. 


Disburse- 
ments to 
April 1, 
1909. 


District. 


State. 


other 
sources. 


First 


$4, 500 
4,500 
4,500 
4,500 
4,500 
4,500 
4,500 
4,500 
4,500 


$3,475.49 
3, 548. 48 
4, 769. 47 
6,755.37 
6,457.00 
2, 957. 90 
4, 403. 07 
4,386.16 
1,757.92 


$7,235.09 
7,124.96 


Second 


Third.... 


6,994.84 
9, 754. 32 


Fourth 


Fifth 


7,986.22 
5,899.15 
8 289 14 


Sixth 


Seventh 


Eighth 


7,759.81 
6, 083. 42 


Ninth 




Total 


40,500 


38,510.86 


67 126 95 







[Bull. 220] 



26 

REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON EXPERIMENTS AT AGRICULTURAL 

SCHOOLS. 

A general plan of agricultural experimentation for all the schools 
has recently been revised by a committee consisting of J. F. Duggar, 
J. B, Hobd}", and J. B. Espy, and their report, which follows, has 
been approved (January 30, 1909) by Commissioner J. A. Wilkinson: 

In the opinion of the committee the main function of the district agricultural schools 
under the law is the teaching of agriculture. The prosecution of experiments is also 
required by law. If the exijerience of the agriculturists of these schools shows any 
conflict between experimentation and the teaching of agriculture, then, in our 
opinion, the teaching of agriculture must be given the place of first importance. 
But the law requires both functions, and the only way by which the number of experi- 
ments could be decreased to such a point as to make little demand on the time and 
funds of these institutions would be by an amendment to the present law, so that these 
institutions would be designated merely as agricultural schools, and not, as now, 
agricultural schools and experiment stations, such amendment making experimenta- 
tion merely incidental, and thus allowing the school farms to be conducted as model 
farms under intensive cultivation and for profitable returns. 

We recommend the execution of so much of the general plan of experiments adopted 
in January, 1904, as may be practicable for the conditions of each school. This plan 
called for the use of 100 plats for field crops, of which number 60 were to be occupied 
in prescribed experiments common to all the agricultiu-al schools. The remaining 
40 plats were to be devoted to experim^ts to be decided upon by each school according 
to its local needs. 

In the case of these institutions that can not carry out the full programme of experi- 
ments we believe that the minimum number of plats of field crops should not be less 
than 70, barely to comply with the law. As the usual programme of experiments we 
recommend the following: 

(1) Ten plats varieties of cotton, including the principal types. 

(2) Six plats varieties of corn. 

(3) Four plats varieties of wheat and oats. 

(4) Twelve plats standard fertilizer experiments with cotton (Auburn plan). 

(5) Twelve plats standard fertilizer experiments with corn and other standard 
crops. 

(6) Twelve plats standard rotation experiments (Auburn plan). 

(7) Four plats for soil or cultivation experiments. This in 1909 to consist of a test 
of the Williamson plan of corn culture. 

(8) Ten to 20 plats devoted to any field or forage plants, investigating any question 
selected by each school. 

(9) A demonstration of intensive farming by growing at least 1 acre of one or two of 
the standard crops, with a view to large yields, keeping a record of all items of cost. 
School garden and orchard! 

In case any school is not able to have the full number of plats suggested, the omission 
might be temporarily made of the following: 
(3) Varieties of wheat and oats. 

(5) Fertilizer experiments on corn, etc. 

(6) Rotation experiments. 

(8) Reducing number of plats of field or forage plants if strictly necessary. 

The "Auburn plan" referred to in the preceding report was devised 
by the Alabama Experiment Station. Professor Duggar gives the 
following as the object of the experiment: 

[Bull. 220] 



27 

(1) Yield of cotton cultivated continuously on the same plats with or without 
vetch (plats Nos. 3c, 6, and 8c), in comparison with cotton in two years' rotation (plats 
2b and 7b), with two years' rotation (la and 9a), and with three years' rotation (plats 
lOd, lid, and 12d). 

(2) Yield of corn cultivated continuously, with or without cowpeas between (plats 
2b and 9b), and with three years' rotation (plats lOd and lid). 

(3) Increase in yield of cotton grown continuously on the same land, due to vetch. 
(Compare plat 6 with plats 3 and 8.) 

(4) Increase in yield of com, grown continuously, as result of cowpeas between the 
rows. 

(5) Value of total crops during a series of years, preferably six, produced, respec- 
tively, by continuous culture, two years' rotation, and three years' rotation. 

(6) The most practical rotation for improving land. (Fertilizers in kind and 
amount, to be same for every plat, and the same every year, and not to contain any 
nitrogen; no fertilizer or cowpeas to follow oats or between corn; and no fertilizer on 
oats or vetch mixed with oats.) 

Plan of rotation outlined by Professor Duggar. 



Plat. 


1904. 


1905. 


1906. 


1907. 


1908. 


1909. 


la 


Cotton and 
vetch and 
oats, cut. 


Cowpeas, cut. 


Cotton and 
vetch and 
oats, cut. 


Cowpeas, cut. 


Cotton and 
vetch and 
oats, cut. 


Cowpeas, cut. 


2b 


Cotton and 
vetch. 


Corn and cow- 
peas. 


Cotton and 
vetch. 


Corn and cow- 
peas. 


Cotton and 
vetch. 


Corn and cow- 
peas. 


3c 


Cotton and 
vetch. 


Cotton and 
vetch. 


Cotton and 
vetch. 


Cotton and 
vetch. 


Cotton and 
vetch. 


Cotton and 
vetch. 


4 


Corn. 


Corn. 


Corn. 


Com. 


Com. 


Com. 


5 


Com and cow- 
peas. 


Com and cow- 
peas. 


Com and cow- 
peas. 


Corn and cow- 
peas. 


Corn and cow- 
peas. 


Com and cow- 
peas. 


6 


Cotton. 


Cotton. 


Cotton. 


Cotton. 


Cotton. 


Cotton. 


7 b 


Corn and cow- 
peas. 


Cotton and 
vetch. 


Corn and cow- 
peas. 


Cotton and 
vetch. 


Corn and cow- 
peas. 


Cotton and 
vetch. 


8c 


Cotton and 
vetch. 


Cotton and 

vetch. 


Cotton and 
vetch. 


Cotton and 
vetch. 


Cotton and 
vetch. 


Cotton and 
vetch. 


9a 


Cowpeas, cut. 


Cotton and 
vetch and 
oats, cut. 


Cowpeas, cut. 


Cotton and 
vetch and 
oats, cut. 


Cowpeas, cut. 


Cotton and 
vetch and 
oats, cut. 


lOd 


Corn and cow- 
peas. 


Oats and cow- 
peas. 


Cotton. 


Corn and cow- 
peas. 


Oats and cow- 
peas. 


Cotton. 


lid 


Oats and cow- 
peas. 


Cotton. 


Corn and cow- 
peas. 


Oats a^id cow- 
peas, picked. 


Cotton. 


Com and cow- 
peas. 


12d 


Cotton. 


Com and cow- 
peas. 


Oats and cow- 
peas. 


Cotton. 


Corn and cow- 
peas. 


Oats and cow- 
peas. 



[Bull. 220J 



28 

EXAMPLES OF EXPERIMENTAL WORK. 

In addition to this outline of experimental work for all the schools, 
a number of them have devised and worked out special experiments, 
the results of which are of local interest. These serve to illustrate to 
some extent how the schools are assisting in the solution of local 
agricultural problems. Accordingly, a description of a few of these 
experiments is included under the titles following: 

VARIETY TESTS OF COTTON, SOUTHEAST ALABAMA AGRICUL- 
TURAL SCHOOL, ABBEVILLE. 

This experiment consisted of a trial of 13 leading varieties of cotton. 
The land on which this test was made belongs to the Orangeburg 
type of soil. It is an intense red clay, such as is considered a typical 
cotton soil. 

The season was favorable and the yield of all the varieties was 
fairly good. The land was broken "broadcast" in January with a 
two-horse plow. All rows were fertilized alike. The planting was 
done on the same day and the intercultural tillage was identical. 
The plats consisted of one-twelfth of an acre each. Each plat was 
treated with 30 pounds of an 8 : 2 : 2 fertilizer and 10 pounds of nitrate 
of soda. The fertilizer was applied to the soil, mixed with a " scooter," 
and the land bedded. The nitrate of soda was applied to the growing 
crop in June. The experimental plat received the same cultivation 
which the regular crop received. The seed cotton of the different 
varieties was stored in separate bins and all weighed under like con- 
ditions, to prevent any possible variation resulting from atmospheric 
influence in the field weights. 

This experiment proved that some varieties can withstand drought 
better than others, while some can withstand wet weather best. To 
substantiate this, one may examine the bidletins of the different 
experiment stations for several years past and will find that no one 
variety remained at the head of the list for any defuiite period. 
Several varieties of long-staple cotton appear in the list. This year 
Cook Improved stands at the head of the list, while Shankhigh is at the 
bottom. It will be noticed that there is quite a difference in the 
value of the yield of the two varieties. The test clearly shows that 
Cook Improved is adapted to the Orangeburg type of soil, while the 
Shankhigh is not. On the Cecil soils of South Carolina and north 
Georgia the Shankliigh is one of the best varieties. 

The following table gives the results in this test, showing that Cook 
and Toole are the best varieties for southeast Alabama. 

[Bull. 220] 



29 



Yield and valv£ of seed cotton per acre. 



Variety. 



Yield of seed cotton per 
acre at each picking. 



First. 



Second, 



Third. 



Total 
yield. 



Lint 
per 
acre. 



Seed. 



Value 
of lint 
at 12 
cents 
per 
pound. 



Value 
of seed 
at 80 
cents 
per 100 
pounds. 



Total 
value 
of lint 
and 
seed. 



Cook Improved. . 

Toole 

Corley 

King 

Peterkin 

Hawkins 

Floradora 

Russell 

Truitt 

Columbia 

Simflower 

Allan long staple 
Shankhigh 



Lbs. 

527 
538 
468 
568 
440 
428 
436 
342 
357 
325 
352 
363 
289 



Lbs. 
812 
842 
659 

647 
462 
482 
612 
457 
495 
516 
473 
537 
452 



Lbs. 
394 
335 
533 
273 
331 
368 
380 
434 
346 
401 
409 
412 
399 



Lbs. 

1,733 

1,715 

1,.558 

1, 488 

1,233 

1,278 

1,428 

1,233 

1,208 

1,242 

1,234 

1,312 

1,140 



Lbs. 
674 
660 
529 
530 
468 
442 
408 
406 
398 
388 
386 
367 
374 



Lbs. 

1,059 

1,055 

1,029 

958 

765 

836 

1,020 

827 

810 

861 

848 

945 

766 



79.20 
63. 48 
63.60 
57.16 
53.04 
48.96 
48.72 
47.76 
46.56 
46.32 
44.04 
44.88 



$8.47 
8.44 
8.23 
7.66 
6.12 
6.68 
8.16 
6.61 
6.48 
6.88 
6.78 
7.56 
6.12 



$89. 35 
87.64 
71.71 
71.26 
64.82 
60.72 
57.12 
55.33 
54.24 
53.44 
53.10 
51.60 
51.00 



It will be noticed that four varieties of long-staple cotton are in the 
list. The prices of long-staple cotton are so irregular and uncertain 
that it is averaged at the same price as the short staple. The price, 
of coiu-se, depends upon the length of the staple and the method of 
growing. The local buyers were paying a premiiun of only 1 cent per 
pound this year for long-staple cotton. 

EXPERIMENT WITH OATS, FIFTH DISTRICT AGRICULTURAL 
SCHOOL, WETUMPKA. 

The oat crop of the cotton belt is not as large as it should be. It fits 
well into any system of farming that has cotton and corn for the main 
crops. A certain amount of live stock is required to furnish traction 
power on the farm and must be fed, hence the importance of a cheap 
feed crop. This crop does not require much hand labor, as it can be 
sown and harvested with machinery. Almost any soil will produce 
some oats, but they love a cool, moist, well-drained soil that has plenty 
of plant food. The average yield for Alabama from 1892 to 1901 was 
13 J bushels per acre. This may be increased by using better seed 
adapted to certain types of soil and certain ranges of climate. With 
these two objects in view, a series of experiments was started in 1906. 

Seed of 10 good varieties was secured. This was planted in small 
plats broadcast and in hills in October and November. To study 
the individuality of each variety, 2,500 hills were planted 10 by 12 
inches apart. Two seeds were dropped to the hill, and as soon as 
they came up they were thinned to one stalk per hill. The land was 
a fine sandy loam with clay subsoil. The previous crop was corn 
and peas. In October it was harvested, aijd the land plowed deeply 
and thoroughly and harrowed. The seeds were planted October 29 
by hand and germinated promptly. The varieties used for improve- 
ment were Red Algerian, Culberson Winter, Apple Rust-Proof, Burt, 
Black, Sixty-Day, Virginia Winter Oat, Texas Rust-Proof, White, 
and White No. 45, the seed being secured from different sources. 

[Bull. 220] 



30 



Before the oats of each plat ripened, they were studied individually 
and judged upon five points : Form of "stool," size of culm, cpiantity of 
foliage, freedom from disease, and prolificacy. Based upon these points, 
10 stools (each including all the culms from one seed) of each variety 
were marked and gathered as they ripened and placed in separate pack- 
ages. The seed of each package will be planted in separate rows to 
determine the yield and tendency to retain characters of parent plants. 

Four varieties were dropped at the end of the first year because 
they did not seem suited for oiir conditions — two on account of rust, 
one on account of lateness of ripening and size of straw, and the 
other on account of small yield. 

The plants from 50 successive hills taken from an ordinary row 
illustrate the latent power of reproduction. Though the seeds were 
selected, there was no uniformity in the nimiber of oats to the panicle 
(or head). They ranged from none to 38 heads. They were fairly 
full of grain, but ranged from 1 weak culm to 29 strong ones in a stool, 
and from no grain to 324 grains. This experiment emphasized the 
importance of selecting better seed to increase the yield of grain per 
acre. 

EFFECTS OF NITRATE OF SODA ON OATS. 

The object of this experiment was to find out the amount of nitrate 
of soda to use most profitably as a top-dressing. Three and one- 
half acres of fall-sown oats were divided into half-acre plats. The 
soil was a silt loam, cropped in corn and peas the previous season, 
and fertilized with 12 bushels of green cotton seed per acre at the 
time of sowing. A good seed bed was prepared, and Red Rust-proof 
oats (Texas-grown seed) were sowai broadcast the last of October 
at the rate of If bushels per acre. By the middle of March the oats 
had tillered sufficiently well to hide the ground. The nitrate of soda 
was applied March 31, with results as shown by the following table: 

Effect of nitrate of soda on oats. 





Plat 1. 


Plat 2. 


Plat 3. 


Plat 4. 


Plat 5. 


Plat 6. 


Plat 7. 


Amount of nitrate of soda per 


None. 
19.5 


30 
26.3 

7.13 


50 
30 

10.83 


None. 
15.5 


65 
34.7 

15.53 


85 
26.3 

7.13 




Yield per acre (bushels) 

Gain due to nitrate of soda 
(bushels) 


22.5 











It will be noted that the best results were secured from an applica- 
tion of 65 pounds per acre, but under certain conditions a larger 
amount might prove more profitable than this. Oats respond 
c[uickly to the use of nitrate of soda. When they are sown on poor 
soil, a light application as a top-dressing, put on just before they 
begin to head, will make them grow tall enough to harvest. 

[Bull. 220] 

O 



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